A 70-foot statue of Lionel Messi, one of the largest football representations in the world, is going to be unveiled in Kolkata, India by the Argentine superstar himself on Saturday.

The statue, located in the Kolkata city’s Sreebhumi, Lake Town, depicts Messi lifting the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the most iconic moment of the Argentine great’s career. 

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is expected to land on Saturday, accompanied by those closest to him including club-mates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul for a three-day India tour.

Messi statue in India, made of fiberglass, will be over 20 metres high and will stand next to Diego Maradona's giant statue, erected during the 1986 World Cup winner’s visit in 2017.

The virtual presentation of the statue will take place at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Messi is scheduled for a series of events in Kolkata, including a sponsor's event, a football match between Mohun Bagan 'Messi' All Star and Diamond Harbour 'Messi' All Star, and a royal reception at Yuva Bharati, according to report by Indian media.

As a mark of respect, Messi is likely to don traditional Bengali attire during his visit. His wife, Antonella, will be gifted a sari, while Messi himself will be treated to local delicacies such as hilsa, shrimp, nalen jaggery rasogolla, and sweet curd.

The Inter Miami superstar will head to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi during the "GOAT Tour", set to be concluded with an official meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.